When We Left Cuba

by Chanel Cleeton

[kimbacaffeinate]

The Perez family has left Cuba and relocated to South Florida. While her father tries to rebuild his wealth and her mother tries to marry them off, Beatriz Perez works with the CIA, to infiltrate Fidel Castro's inner circle.

I adored Cleeton's contemporary romances, but you can tell she has come home in this genre. From, the history to the culture she captured everything from the political climate to the Cuban people.

I love Beatriz. She is young, about twenty-two at the beginning of this story, but the tale begins with her as an older woman and ends the same. I loved her story and the forbidden romance nestled amongst the pages between daring missions and covert spying.

While the story is entirely fictional, Cleeton does weave in factual history giving the story an authentic vibe I love in stories such as these. I fell hard for the characters, especially Nick and her cousin.

The romance is a forbidden one and the kind you never forget. I adored them together even when they fought. It was a powerful romance, but so was Beatriz commitment to the cause. The romance isn't straightforward and takes side stage to Beatriz work to undermine Castro but I loved every damn moment.

If you are looking for a beautiful, poignant and addictive read, I encourage you to pick up When We Left Cuba. It will work as a standalone, but don't cheat yourself, grab Next Year in Havana too.
This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer